Tuscaloosa riverfront development moves closer to final city approval

By Jason MortonStaff Writer

Published: Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at 3:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.

TUSCALOOSA | Like the Planning and Zoning Commission almost a month before it, the Tuscaloosa City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved the plans for an approximately $42 million multiuse development for the former Tuscaloosa Chevrolet site along the Black Warrior River.

The vote came after Christopher Kritzman, a partner and developer for Chance Partners, the company behind the development, gave a more than 20-minute presentation outlining the research and vision that went into the creation of the 452-bed complex that will feature almost 40,000-square-feet of commercial space.

“We wanted to make sure this area was open and tied to the area,” Kritzman said, noting the designs were crafted to ensure the project complements and blends in with downtown Tuscaloosa and the surrounding facilities, such as the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater.

“We really view this as downtown land, so we wanted to make sure there was a harmonious fit there,” Kritzman said. “And we want it to be very walkable — very urban — with street-front restaurants and cafes.”

Kritzman said Chance Partners spent nine months studying the area, reviewing city ordinances and researching other areas of the city’s plans and residents before creating the project the company is calling “Riverfront Village.”

The bedrooms will be divided among 201 living units of one-, two- and three-bedrooms in a combination of lease and for-sale spaces.

The retail space is planned on the bottom floors of four of the possible five buildings — one of which will be four stories, while the others will be three stories or less — on the 7.6-acre site.

Kritzman also said construction of the project will bring an estimated 268 jobs, $20 million in new local income and $1.95 million in local taxes and revenue.

Once complete, the development is expected to bring 65 new jobs, $4.6 million in local income and $800,000 in taxes and other revenue.

With the council’s approval of the plans, the development is on pace to have much of the construction completed by July 2014.

The development must clear one additional hurdle — a final vote of the City Council — that is expected to be met with no opposition next week.

The plans were met with words of praise by the City Council, which 14 months ago blocked a similar proposal on the grounds that it was too large and ill-suited to the surrounding public infrastructure.

Both the council and the Planning and Zoning Commission rejected the proposal by Carter development company to build 270 apartment units with 854 bedrooms and 7,500 square feet of retail space on the site.

As a result, the City Council adopted new rules for its Riverfront Development zone that limits the number of bedrooms a developer can place in a unit to three and dictates that 20 percent of every square foot of a new residential complex must be dedicated to commercial or retail space.

“Chance Partners designed the site to meet those requirements,” said John McConnell, director of the city’s Planning and Development Services, to the council. “I think they have a project that you’ll be very happy with.”

Mayor Walt Maddox thanked Chance Partners for being mindful of the investment of public dollars that went into the Amphitheater and Tuscaloosa Riverwalk recreational trail, which this development will abut.

Councilman Lee Garrison, a driving force behind the public infrastructure and amenities that have grown up along the Black Warrior River in recent years, also voiced his support.

“I believe when we started the Riverfront Development Committee years ago ... that this is what we wanted to see,” Garrison said of the project. “This is going to be another just incredible project for our community.

“I’m just tickled to death for our community that this is going to happen.”